One of the benefits of living in a large metro area is the number of wood shops available to me. I go to three different stores, but mostly to Timber Woodworking in Mesa Arizona. The tool I planned to buy was available at Home Depot for $220 and at Timber for $230. Not only did I decide to spend the extra $10, but I went to the ATM and got enough cash to pay for it. Why cash? Credit card companies charge the store somewhere between 2% to 4% the cost of the purchase. It’s a small amount, but it can add up.

Yes I could have saved money by charging the tool at Home Depot, but my local wood store has knowledgeable people and wood suitable for wood working. Plus Home Depot gets plenty of my business for other projects.

I just won’t buy two coffees from Starbucks this week. I’ll survive quite nicely without the coffee, but not without local woodworking stores.

-- "I like the quiet I hear." - Channing, age 4

9 replies so far

Greetings Bob,I think that’s great that you support your community ww store like that….I can see the reasoning behind it.I’m about the same way….I live in a small town (763), and try to support our town with my business such as the little supermarket, the gas station, bait store, etc., etc…..I could go to the “big city” (11,000), and 12 miles away to shop, but I like to keep my money in our town….I have a local wood supplier of hardwoods about 1/2 mile from my house…....

Hi from Snowflake, Bob.Timbers is one of my stops when I’m in the valley. Great people, decent pricing and a nice selection.I only wish I had a more local WW business that I could support. Flagstaff isn’t all that local, either.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Hi Bob:You have uncovered the first step in returning America to what it used to be.Carefully thinking out the pros and cons of how you spend your money will determine how your community grows and hence the country at large.

I have been doing a similar thing the past month or so. I have been going to the local hardware store and buying some stuff. I also pay cash. Why have I been going there? Because when I need to RETURN something defective they will TAKE IT BACK WITHOUT A HASSLE. Unlike the internet purchase I made on a reconditioned tool. I did not save a dime with the online sale- I lost money- original shipping plus return shipping plus I still don’t have the credit for the original purchase in my account. AUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH. NEVER AGAIN.. NEVER EVER AGAIN…..........

-- Homer : "Oh, and how is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain."

Our local (Family owned for over 70 yrs) Hardware store just closed its doors this past week. Why? bad economy, bad timing (recently put on an addition) or Home Depot going in 5 miles down the road.Owner stated buisness has been off over 50% this past year.I still brought my buisness there, sad.

Timber Woodworking is one of my favorite stores. My last purchase there was a “used” Delta 18-36 drum sander. I couldn’t even find any sawdust on it! They made me a customer when they replaced a broken router bit for no charge when it was probably my fault.

I love going to Timber Woodworking and even the Timber Hardwoods next door, Great people. We purchased a few machines from them, also a bunch of dust collection items and even had my 12” crosscut saw blade sharpened there. There are a few things I still have to do to the bog box stores for but I will keep going to Timber and even other local hardwood/woodworking shops here in the valley.